affirmative action - a policy which gives special consideration to minorities and women to make up for past discrimination.

apprenticeship - training on the job for eventual career goal.

arrived - to reach one's destination

balance - even; the same; equal.

circumvent - to manage to get around something.

class action lawsuit - when a group of people with the same complaint unite to sue someone or a group.

consciousness- awareness; to take notice.

detrimental- harmful

diminish- to make less.

diplomatically- with care and skill.

discriminate- to distinguish; to treat differently.

Discrimination - prejudiced outlook, action or treatment

due process- a requirement that laws may not be unfair or unreasonable to individuals.

evolution- a process of change and development.

enforcement- to force into action

Founding Fathers- the name applied to the men that created the government of the United States of America.

hostiles- unfriendly; enemies

inferiority- the feeling of being less than others.

interpreted- explained by a point of view.

inherently- belonging by nature or habit.

intiative- a procedure begun by voters to propose a law.

Jim Crow laws- a system of law that segregated public services by race beginning in 1890's.

lack- not have; be without.

letter of apology and redress- In the 1970's the U.S. government officially apologized to the Japanese-American community for their forced relocation to camps during World War II.

minorities- people other than white, anglo-saxons.

picture bride- It was a cultural tradition for many Japanese immigrants to inquire about prospective brides in Japan. What followed was correspondence and pictures and sometimes marriage arrangements without actually meeting in person.

operated - to be in action so as to produce an effect.

postponed- to put off to a later time or date.

prejudice- dislike or an unreasonable opinion of a group of people.

quilt- a bed cover made by stiching many pieces of material together.

relocation camp- name of the camps during World War II in which Japanese immigrants and Japanese-Americans were forced to live.

sanction-to approve; to give permission.

segregate- to separate or keep apart.

sought- ( from the verb seek) to look for; to ask for.

vocation education- education or training in a certain skill or trade.